Saturday, February 12, 2011

We Love Pizza Tablescape and Homemade Heart-Shaped Pizzas

Welcome to my WE LOVE PIZZA Tablescape and Homemade Pizza Dinner! Today we had an early lunch/ dinner of homemade heart-shaped pizzas. It was my pre-Valentine dinner for my family. We often make homemade pizza, how about you? My kids love to roll out their dough and make individual-sized pizzas, however today I made all the pizzas myself.

Welcome to Lynn's, Happier Than a Pig in Mud's "Favorite Appliance Day! I yak about my favorite appliance toward the end of the post.

It's time for pizza! Isn't it always a good time for pizza?

Here's the individual place setting. I put in a red bowl, because I always have to have a little RED-- it just makes me happy.

The red hobnail-type bowls are a new acquisition -- just so fun and festive.

When I use the bubble glasses, I always include a view.

Here's a full view of the table. Sometimes I have used my Lazy Susan for all the pizza ingredients. Ooops -- one napkin is out of place and it is too late to retake the photo.

What do you want to put on your pizza? There is also Italian Chicken Sausage to top the pizzas that is not pictured. Have you ever had Sunshine Market's chicken sausage? It is very flavorful and low in fat.

I totally stole borrowed the heart-shaped pepperoni idea from Lori, the hostess of I Have A Big Story to Tell. Aren't they so cute? Lori, thanks for the great and simple idea!

I don't use a pizza stone; we are usually making so many individual pizzas at once that a pizza stone just doesn't have enough room for all our pizzas. I do think a pizza stone provides a better crust. I put a little cornmeal on a cookie sheet and lay the crust on the sheet; this helps raise the crust off the cookie sheet. I traced around the removable bottom of a heart tart pan to get the heart-shaped dough.

Here's the heart-shapedpepperoni pizza waiting to be baked. Once again, here are the cutest little pepperoni hearts. You just fold the pepperoni in half and cut it like a paper heart. I saved the scraps and put them on another pizza; I don't like to waste!

Pizzas waiting on the rack to be eaten.

Another tempting shot of the pizzas. I made six different pizzas today. Pizza does taste good the next day. I made a double batch of dough which yielded 6 tart-sized heart-shaped pizzas and one mini pizza.

A cooked pizza plated.

I made one individual pizza that my husband ate before dinner.

Everyone it's time for dinner! The pizza is getting cold!

Lynn at Happier than a Pig in Mud is holding a "My Favorite Kitchen Gadget" party on Valentine's Day. I always use my Bosch Mixer when making pizza dough. It really is one of my favorite gadgets. It also comes in really handy when making a triple batch (3 loaves) of whole wheat bread with 11 to 12 cups of whole-wheat flour; it is a real workhorse. My husband totally surprised me one Mother's Day with this mixer. Before I used the Bosch, I couldn't make 100 percent whole wheat bread that I was satisfied with.

I like to make my pizza dough with a mix of fifty percent white flour and fifty percent whole-wheat flour. I've tried to make it with 100 percent whole wheat and the crust is a bit heavy. Today I made my crust a little bit thicker to allow me to transfer the crust from my counter to the cookie sheet.

Add water, yeast and salt together in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the flour and mix all ingredients until fully combined. Adjust water to make a workable dough. Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes or use the Bosch, or another heavy duty mixer, to do both the mixing and the kneading. Let rise until doubled; punch down and let rise again. Roll out pizza dough and then add toppings. Bake in a 500 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes -- watching to make sure you don't overcook. This has been adapted from a recipe from my sister, Jacqueline, at Purple Chocolat Home.

Everyone enjoyed the pizza and I loved the little heart pepperonis --just perfect for Valentine's Day! I hope you have the best time and enjoy the day with the people that you love!

39 comments:

Kudo's to you Joni. The pizza's look absolutely delicious. What a fun meal. Now I am going to have to 'steal' that pizza dough recipe. My favorite pizza to buy always has that cornmeal on/in it too. I will try yours for sure. It will be a great idea when all my "kids" are home. Your table was also beautiful. The red hobnails are the bomb! Love them. Have a great weekend. Lori L

Your pizzas and table look great Joni, cute plates! I'm sure you give your Bosch a work out! Love homemade doughs, and you know you have a winner when teenagers ask you to make pizza! Thanks so much for joining the Gadget Party, linky will be up later today. Happy Valentine's Day:@)

Joni, why do you have to go and show up the rest of us, NOT making anything heart shapped?! ha. Im doing mini pizzas too, but im not making mine hearts! so cute and I love that you took the time to do it!

Oh what wonderful family memories you've blessed me with! I had a Bosch Mixer over 25 years ago! I used to make 4 loaves of bread at a time easier than baking cakes and LOVED it! :) I tried one of the newer single loaf breadmakers a few years ago and not even close. It is definitely the best! :)

Hi Joni, I am in love with this pizza idea! I see pineapple on that tray of ingredients--yum! I can't believe how much work you did making these, even cutting out the pepperoni! The pizzas are very tempting. And I've never heard of the Bosch mixer. Don't you think our red Pier 1 lanterns work everywhere? I've been using mine constantly! Linda

"You have made me SO HUNGRY right now"!!! I LOVE those heart pizza's! You are SO CLEVER! and the little pepperoni hearts are TOO CUTE!Did you cut each one out with scissors??? UGH!!! Love the adorable look of them though! and my Hunny Bun is worth it...I wonder if he would even notice, hehe! I guess I'd have to "TELL HIM"!!! Your sister has that WONDERFUL pizza oven, How about you? A pizza stone works good, I have never tried one. MAYBE I'll just have to get one!Thank you for sharing...Happy Valentine's Day,Hugs, Donna

Love your heart pizzas! I should have used my pan to guide me, my heart is a little out of shape! :) Like me!I have two Bosch dishwashers, but I didn't know about their mixers. I don't have a bread machine. DH makes the bread and I don't want to phase out his job! LOL

We do heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine's Day, too -- but I never thought to TRACE a heart to make the shapes perfect! (So mine always turn out a little wonky!) I also did the heart-shaped pepperoni one year -- but found it a little too tedious for a family of six pepperoni lovers!! LOL

Engageya

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Come have a seat and rest awhile at my Red Couch where fun family food is served and enjoyed! It's my, now 14 year old daughter's fault I have a blog. I helped her set up her food blog and had so much fun I started my own. Read more about me in my "About Me" tab.